Rhinebeck school bus drivers set Monday strike vote

RHINEBECK, N.Y. -- The union representing more than 165 bus drivers and monitors for Durham School Services will vote Monday on whether to strike next week, it announced on Saturday.

The drivers -- who transport students for the Rhinebeck and Spackenkill school districts and Dutchess County BOCES -- originally threatened to walk off the job in November but delayed that action.

On Saturday, Teamsters Local 445 said the strike vote is being held because Durham School Services has decided to impose its latest contract offer without a vote by the employees.

"This was a highly unusual, probably unlawful move by the company," said Lori Polesel, a Teamsters representative for the employees.

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The union members have been without a new contract since Sept. 1, 2012. Polesel said negotiations have stalled over two issues: pay raises and employee safety.

"Although many of the school buses require safety monitors, Durham regularly refuses to assign them," she said. "This creates a situation where the students, as well as the drivers, are at risk."

Regarding pay, Polesel said the starting rate for the drivers is $9.14 per hour, which she called "obscenely low for the level of responsibility these employees have." She said the low rate has resulted in employee turnover of nearly 40 percent per year.

Rhinebeck school officials said in the fall that there were 978 students assigned to buses on 26 routes for the district's three schools.